There are few people that are a fan of that “station wagon” look. Pretty sure that when most people think of a station wagon style car, they envision a scene from the 1970’s sitcom, The Brady Bunch, where Carol Brady rolls up in the family Plymouth Satellite station wagon.

Rob McDonald out of Bakersfield, California, on the other hand, had a completely different vision when it came to his idea of a wicked custom wagon. We love his idea of the family wagon much better.

This 1960 Chevrolet Kingswood Wagon is just what he was looking for when he acquired the car from a friend.  Rob is one of those rare people that can appreciate the body lines a wagon has to offer. “I have always been a wagon guy” Rob said.

This build was not meant to be part of the idea of a traditional grocery getter. Though we believe getting groceries should be done quickly and with style but when you have a 530 hp wagon like this, the mission would be more than accomplished. Complete with a 409ci mill that has been stroked out to 488. “There was a lot of machine work that went into it,” Rob added.

A stroked engine has had a crankshaft change used to increase the “stroke” length of the piston travel. A stroker kit, usually at a minimum, includes a new crank and bearings. There are limits to exactly how much you can stroke an engine without having the crank smack the block. This can be fixed, to a point, by grinding away some of the block in the path of the crank.

Of course with a great stroke length, the pistons come closer to the heads, requiring new pistons with deeper valve reliefs to prevent piston slap. Pistons could also be a part of the kit but that depends on the level of the kit and the length of the stroke.

To support the power that comes along with machining an engine like that, Rob had a Watts four-link rear suspension installed, and an AccuAir air ride system. The air ride is supported by two compressors and one tank. “I’m not sure how big the tank is. We used what would fit in that area,” Rob says.

Kyle Gann, owner of K Daddyz Kustomz, laid out a beautifully crafted paint job. Those flames make it look as if this gorgeous ride is flying even when it’s just sitting pretty. To add to the already hot design Ron Beam of Beam Brothers Creative Paint & Pinstriping, crowned long line master by Mr. McDonald, threw down some amazing pinstripes. These two masters of their art put in so many details that some are even hidden behind the engine.

To compliment the flow on the exterior, Rob placed BF Goodrich Silvertown wide white tires on Rocket Racing Wheels. After three years and a lot of help from his brothers in the Loco Banditos Car Club, Rob finally had his dream wagon. Success is a beautiful thing.